Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Conquering the fear of butter!

It seems as though every time I bake, I panic.

I panic because I eat about 5 cookies during the preparation (in the form of the dough...honestly who can resist) and then an additional two or three when they are still warm (yes the will power is lacking at that point), and finally one more, most likely with a glass of milk, because at this point what is just one more....they are so easy and so instantly satisfying.

Results? My pants not fitting. And the panic.

Fact: Holiday baking is the most wonderful activity. Fact: rolling out dough is quite a bit of a workout, especially if the dough has been chilled. Fact: Holiday baking can not be made low fat, so it was time for me to get over my fear of butter.

Enter task number one - Gingerbread. I figured start with something that isn't as butter intensive to ease my way in to things. Whoa success. I ate one or two, felt incredibly pleased with my cookies (decorated with icing and chocolate chips!) and didn't feel an insane urge to eat 15.

With one success under my belt I was feeling pretty confident in my abilities. Bring on the Shortbread!

I completely understand why shortbread is reserved for the holiday season and the holiday season only. One bite of the delicate crispy-chewy-light-buttery sweet deliciousness of these beauty bells and its easy to suddenly eat about 40. But! Cookies are to be enjoyed. They are a treat. And treats are rewards, so treats should feel as though you have done something good and are being given the credit you deserve. Shortbread credit is the best. (They are whole wheat shortbread which made them a bit less sweet, but still extremely yummy!) Recipe from www.joyofbaking.com, substituting the ap flour with half whole wheat, half kamut flour.

And the best reward by far is that my pants still fit today, and I have more shortbread tucked away waiting for me to treat myself over the next week or so.